Method for Graphical Visualization of Multiple Traversed Breadcrumb Trails
A method for graphical visualization of multiple clickstreams traversed by a user that involves initiating a clickstream session in response to a user log-in and intercepting and storing all navigation interactions of the user during the clickstream session by a clickstream recorder component. In response to the user's request, the stored navigation interactions of the user for the clickstream session are analyzed by a clickstream analyzer to identify segments comprising interconnected nodes sequentially traversed by the user in a single navigation path during the session and to distinguish segments comprising nodes unrelated to other nodes traversed during the session. A graphic depiction of the identified segments comprising the interconnected nodes sequentially traversed by the user in a single navigation path during the session is presented to the user by a clickstream visualizer.
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This application is related to commonly assigned applications Attorney Docket No. DE9 2008 0172 entitled “METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONSTRUCTING PAGEFLOWS BY ANALYZING TRAVERSED BREADCRUMBS”; Attorney Docket No. DE9 2008 0173 entitled “METHOD FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONSTRUCTING MEGAFLOWS AND SUPERFLOWS BY ANALYZING TRAVERSED BREADCRUMBS OF ENTIRE COMMUNITIES”; and Attorney Docket No. DE9 2008 0174 entitled “AN EXTENDABLE RECOMMENDER FRAMEWORK FOR WEB-BASED SYSTEMS”, each filed simultaneously herewith and each of which is incorporated herein by this reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to web portals and more particularly to a method for graphical visualization of multiple clickstreams traversed by a user.
2. Description of Background
The existing art portal realizes a request/response communication pattern, i.e., it waits for client requests and responds to those requests. A client request message includes a URL/URI which addresses the requested portal page and/or other portal resources.
More specifically, an existing art portal such as illustrated in
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Some existing art portals support the concept of page derivation. This concept allows for a stepwise specialization of a page. In the first step, an administrator A creates a page, defines a base layout, and adds content (i.e., portlets) to the page. Thereafter, the administrator grants appropriate rights to other administrators or users, who themselves can derive the page and edit the layout and content of a page, but not any locked elements. When an administrator or a user modifies the page, model management 161 creates a derivation of the page and stores it into the portal database 128. It also stores an association between the implicit derivation and the user that performed the page modification.
For example, assume administrator A creates a page X that comprises portlet A, and administrator B adds portlet B to page X, which results in the creation of the derived page X′. Assume further that user C is authorized to view the page X (and thus X′). In this case, when issuing a request for page X, administrator A will see portlet A (corresponding to page X), administrator B will see Portlet A and B (corresponding to page X′), and user C will also see portlets A and B (corresponding to page X′). Aggregation 115 automatically selects the according page during request processing based on the aggregation state and the ID of the user issuing the request. Now, assume user C modifies the page to include portlet C. The portal thus creates a new derived page X″ and stores it into the database 128. The derived page is associated with user C. When now invoking a request for page X, administrator A will see portlet A, administrator B will see Portlet A and B (corresponding to page X′), and user C will see portlets A, B and C (corresponding to page X″).
There are numerous disadvantages associated with the foregoing existing art portal systems. In such existing art portal systems, users are often searching for information with respect to a certain topic. For example, a user might search for information regarding a certain technology X. There might be several places where information about technology X can be retrieved which makes is necessary for the user to travel many different paths to find the best information sources and to collect what is of interest for the user from those sources. However, it is very difficult to remember all the information sources that were found during the traversal process and even more difficult to remember the routes to those sources.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe shortcomings of the prior art are overcome and additional advantages are provided through embodiments of the invention which propose a computer-implemented method for graphical visualization of multiple clickstreams traversed by as user that involves initiating a clickstream session in response to a user log-in and intercepting and storing all navigation interactions of the user during the clickstream session by a clickstream recorder component. In response to the user's request for a visualization of the user's navigation interactions during the session, the stored navigation interactions of the user for the clickstream session are analyzed by a clickstream analyzer to identify segments comprising interconnected nodes sequentially traversed by the user in a single navigation path during the session and to distinguish segments comprising nodes unrelated to other nodes traversed during the session. A graphic depiction of the identified segments comprising the interconnected nodes sequentially traversed by the user in a single navigation path during the session is presented to the user by a clickstream visualizer.
TECHNICAL EFFECTSAs a result of the summarized invention, technically we have achieved a solution for implementing a method for graphical visualization of multiple clickstreams (i.e., recordings of what a computer user clicks on while web browsing) that have been traversed by users which are presented as thumbnails (i.e., reduced-size versions of images).
The subject matter which is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
The detailed description explains the preferred embodiments of the invention, together with advantages and features, by way of example with reference to the drawings.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONA focus of embodiments of the invention lies on a graphical visualization of clickstreams (i.e., recordings of what a computer user clicks on while web browsing) that have been traversed by users. In embodiments of the invention, nodes (pages) that have been traversed are presented as thumbnails (i.e., reduced-size versions of images). These thumbnails are clickable screenshots of the nodes that have been traversed during the point in time that they have been traversed. These thumbnails make it easier for users to remember which node provided which information and to decide to where to navigate again when using the clickstream visualizer for embodiments of the invention. The thumbnails are clickable items, and a click redirects the user to the underlying node.
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An important aspect of embodiments of the invention is the recording of every navigation step which a user performs. Embodiments of the invention distinguish between segments, i.e., a list of nodes (pages) that have been sequentially traversed by the user in a way that reveals that the segments belong to one navigation path, which segments comprise nodes being interconnected and segments that are not related to other nodes already traversed. At any point in time, embodiments of the invention enable visualization of what has been traversed so far in a graph-like structure. Different segments of interconnected nodes are visualized in parallel nodes which themselves are represented by thumbnails. The nodes representing real information sources might usually be the dead ends of each single segment, which can be confirmed one way or the other by observing users.
The flow diagrams depicted herein are only examples. There may be many variations to these diagrams or the steps (or operations) described therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, the steps may be performed in a differing order, or steps may be added, deleted or modified. All of these variations are considered a part of the claimed invention.
While the preferred embodiment to the invention has been described, it will be understood that those skilled in the art, both now and in the future, may make various improvements and enhancements which fall within the scope of the claims which follow. These claims should be construed to maintain the proper protection for the invention first described.
Claims
1. A computer-implemented method for graphical visualization of multiple clickstreams traversed by a user, comprising:
- initiating a clickstream session in response to a user log-in;
- intercepting and storing all navigation interactions of the user during the clickstream session by a clickstream recorder component;
- analyzing the stored navigation interactions of the user for the clickstream session by a clickstream analyzer in response to the user's request for a visualization of the user's navigation interactions during the session to identify segments comprising interconnected nodes sequentially traversed by the user in a single navigation path during the session and distinguishing segments comprising nodes unrelated to other nodes traversed during the session; and
- presenting to the user by a clickstream visualizer a graphic depiction of the identified segments comprising interconnected nodes sequentially traversed by the user in a single navigation path during the session, said graphic depiction further comprising different ones of said identified segments of interconnected nodes visualized in parallel, each of which interconnected nodes is represented by a thumbnail screenshot of the node that is clickable to redirect the user to the node represented by the thumbnail screenshot.
Type: Application
Filed: Sep 12, 2008
Publication Date: Mar 18, 2010
Applicant: International Business Machines Corporation (Armonk, NY)
Inventors: Stefan Behl (Holzgerlingen), Stephan Hesmer (Gaertringen), Timo Kussmaul (Boeblingen), Andreas Nauerz (Boeblingen)
Application Number: 12/209,801
International Classification: G06F 3/00 (20060101);